View full sizeBruce Ely/The OregonianLaMarcus Aldridge's ability to post up, run the floor and shoot from outside has made him an important part of the Blazers' rebirth.28. LaMarcus AldridgeHt: 6-foot-11 | Wt: 240 pound forward Seasons as a Blazer: 3 (2006-current) Statistics in Portland: 15.5 points, 6.9 rebounds.

Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard heavily weighs statistics and scouting reports when making draft-day decisions. But in 2006, Pritchard was aided by a gut feeling when it came to making a run at LaMarcus Aldridge.

"Everybody could see what he could do on court -- he was close to 7 feet, could run, was a worker ... all the signs pointed to him becoming a pretty good player," Pritchard said. "But when he came here and put on that 'Portland' practice jersey, it just felt right.

"I thought, 'This is a guy who can help us change here.' And he has done that and more."

Despite a scary heart procedure that wiped out the final nine games of his rookie season, Aldridge has become a cornerstone in the Blazers' fourth era of success.

With the height to play inside, the finesse to shoot long-range jumpers and the speed to beat men down the court, Aldridge is one of the emerging young stars in the NBA. The Blazers locked him up this summer to a five-year contract extension worth at least $65 million, so he's likely to be in Portland for several more years and continue to move up the list of all-time best Blazers.

"The big thing with LaMarcus now is that he has been a good player," Pritchard said. "But we think he has a chance to be great. And I don't use that word loosely. I think he has a chance to be a great player in this league. He has everything going for him."